Comments From Readers

"Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise!"
—Kimberlee

"This is the first blog that I have committed to and read on a regular basis. I have gotten many great ideas for future trips."
—Scott

"I felt like I hit the jackpot when I found The Big Outside. Thank you for all your trip ideas!"
—Michele

Subscribe to The Big Outside

Enter your e-mail address for updates about new stories, reviews, and gear giveaways!

Name

Email
*

Sponsors of The Big Outside

Support The Big Outside

This blog is my full-time work and I rely on the support of readers. If you like it, please help me continue producing The Big Outside by making a contribution in any amount: $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 on up. Thank you for your support.

Backpacks come in many sizes and flavors for a reason: so do backpackers. Some of us need a pack for moderate loads, others for heavy loads, while still others want a pack designed for lightweight or ultralight backpacking. Some prefer a minimalist design, others a range of features and access. Everyone wants the best fit and comfort they can find, and almost everyone has a budget.

I looked at all the backpacks intended primarily (if not exclusively) for backpacking that I’ve tested and reviewed at The Big Outside, and selected for this article 10 top performers that stand out for reasons that make each appeal uniquely to a certain type of backpacker, including kids of all ages. I think one of them will be perfect for you—possibly even more than one if, like me, you prefer different packs for different kinds of trips. Continue reading →

Most packs have one or two strengths or features that stand out; I find few that actually deliver everything I want in a pack intended purely for backpacking. Then along comes the Altra 65. I carried it loaded with up to 40 pounds on a three-day backpacking trip with my nine-year-old daughter in Idaho’s Smoky Mountains, and with up to about 35 pounds on a weeklong family hut trek in Norway’s Jotunheimen National Park, and judged it just about perfect, from fit and comfort to organization and durability. Continue reading →